Mushrooming Expedition at Conisborough.

George Clarke, miner, Rotherham, was summoned for stealing mushrooms at Conisborough, and also for assaulting Charles Appleyard, of Lodge farm, Conisborough.

Francis Appleyard said that on the 15 August he saw two men in a field close to his house. In this field he cultivated mushrooms to a very large extent, and that’s expended a considerable amount of money and time in order to cultivate the mushrooms. Witness approached the men, one gave up the mushrooms, but the other both refused to give up the mushrooms and give his name and address. Witness knocked the defendant down, and took the mushrooms away from him.

Charles Appleyard at this point came up on horseback, and defendant at once struck witnesses son with a big stick. His son then knocked him down senseless, and gave him a good thrashing. He took away defendant’s watch, but he gave it back again.

Charles Appleyard also gave the same evidence. The mushrooms weighed 8lbs, and he valued them at 5s. 3d..

Clarke declared that he was knocked senseless and was in that condition for a long time, and when he recovered they took his watch away from him and would not return it until they saw he was going to make a bother about it. He never came across such hard and cruel wretches in his life; they nearly killed him.

The chairman said he thought defendant had suffered sufficiently for the assault; but for the felony he would be fined 10s and costs, and the damages, 5s. 3d.